While many indigenes of Kwara State home and outside the state were celebrating the O to Ge victory in the recent election the state, Mrs Felicia Oyebola Atolagbe, who hails from Ekan Meje, Oke Ero Local Government of Kwara, but working in Lagos is in distress and pains. Last weekend, she decided to reach out to a journalist in Lagos to help amplify her anguish over the cross she has been carrying for about twenty years.
As she spoke, her voice was shaken and she eventually burst out into tears. The conversation later continued after about an hour when she regained her composure to pour out her mind.
According to her, she got married to her husband, Rufus Atolagbe about 21 years ago amidst pomp and hope of a blissful years ahead of a new couple. The dream however crashed as it started. The three fruits of the marriage: Precious (20), Praise (18) and Paul (13) all carried the Sickle Cell anomaly.
Since then, it has trouble, pain and stress for the parents and the kids. The father, Rufus Atolagbe, who was working with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, (PCHN) and who has been largely responsible for the upkeep and the medical expenses, was consumed in the privation of the organisation in 2015 as he was among those laid off.
The cross has since then been placed on the shoulder of the wife, Felicia alone who has been facing what she described as an uphill task of meeting the children medical and educational needs.
Precious is a 500 level Law undergraduate of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State. She has been in and out of hospital and had undergone Exchange Blood Transfusion. She has been on admission since January 3rd 2019. She was on Oxygen for days and she was transfused severally. She has attempted suicide twice, but was saved by providence.
Praise who has just finished her Secondary School, was recently discharged from the hospital after she had a surgery for appendicitis. It was not a minor operation considering her status, she had to be transfused.
Paul is in Senior Secondary class and currently, he has been in and out of hospital.
Apart from his jobless status, her husband Rufus also has a serious health challenge (Displaced Spinal Disc), thereby confining him to routine physiotherapy session at the Orthopaedic hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.
All these have forced the poor woman to cry out to Nigerian for financial assistance and prayers. In her Save my Soul letter to her country men and women, she maintained that she is a woman who desires to see her children survive these crises and fulfil their dreams.
“My husband and I have not been able to cope again with the demand of the crisis of their health expenses. I am writing this letter with a lot of pain in my heart and tears. I don’t want to lose these children no matter what”, she said.
According to her, she has currently incurred a huge amount of debt in hospital bills and outstanding school fees and it is becoming increasingly difficult for her to bear these burdens alone. “Presently I am so depressed ad traumatized and that is why I am reaching out to fellow Nigerians to help me lift this cross that I have been carrying alone and silently for years,” she said.
Considering the recent ordeal of her eldest child, Precious, she said she is afraid she might just lose her because she is not getting the required medical attention due to “our present financial situation.”
She maintained she was left with no other choice other than to cry out to Nigerians because “presently I am so depressed and traumatized and that is why I am reaching out to fellow Nigerians to help me lift this cross that I have been carrying alone silently for years.
“Considering the presently ordeal of the children and my financial handicap, I am really scare about their lives. BUT I WANT THEM TO LIVE.”
Here are her details:
Name: Felicia Ayoni Oyebola Atolagbe
Phone: 0803 716 4624
E Mail: ayoni_atolagbe@yahoo.com
Bank Account: ATOLAGBE FELICIA: GTBANK: 00 07 18 71 56
Here is her SOS letter to Nigerians
Dear SIR/MA,
SOLICITING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR MY THREE SICKLE CELL ANEMIA CHILDREN
My name is Mrs Felicia Atolagbe. I am married and has three sickle cell anemia children. Currently, we reside in Magboro, Lagos Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State. My children’s names are Precious, Praise and Paul.
My husband, Mr. Rufus Atolagbe, who was working with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has been responsible substantially for the financial upkeep of the Medicals, etc. before he was however laid off in July 2015 as a result of the privatisation of the organisation. Since then, it has been challenging for me in terms of meeting the needs of the children.
Precious is a 500 level Law undergraduate of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State. She has been in and out of hospital and had undergone Exchange Blood Transfusion. She desires to survive her ordeal and the associated stress and hope to advocate for children with this condition in future.
Praise who has just finished her Secondary School, was recently discharged from the hospital after she had a surgery for appendicitis. It was not a minor operation considering her status, she had to be transfused.
Paul is in Senior Secondary class and currently, he has been in and out of hospital.
The financial and emotional cost of these crises are driving me to the edge fast and I need help urgently before I crash under the weight of this cross.
Fellow Nigerians, I am a woman who desires to see my children survive these crises and fulfil their dreams. My husband and I have not been able to cope again with the demand of the crisis of their health expenses.
I am writing this letter with a lot of pain in my heart and tears. I don’t want to lose these children no matter what.
Therefore I kindly seek your financial assistance and prayers from all Nigerians. Precious, the eldest child is a final year Law student, just coming out of the hospital. She has been on admission since January 3rd 2019. She was on Oxygen for days and she was transfused severally. She has attempted suicide twice; however she has undergone counselling.
Apart from my husband been jobless, he also has a serious health challenge (Displaced Spinal Disc), thereby confining him to routine physiotherapy session at the Orthopaedic hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.
Currently I have incurred a huge amount of debt in hospital bills and outstanding school fees. It is becoming increasingly difficult to bear these burdens alone. Presently I am so depressed ad traumatized and that is why I am reaching out to fellow Nigerians to help me lift this cross that I have been carrying alone silently for years.
Considering the presently ordeal of the children and my financial handicap, I am really scare about their lives. BUT I WANT THEM TO LIVE.
The following people can confirm my story and ordeal:
Dr. Afolabi Obe of Lagos State Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja (0807 728 9837; 0803 247 0420)
Professor Asaju, VC, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, (0803 721 5992)
Mrs. Otaigbe (0803 343 9199) of the Sickle Cell Foundation, Idiaraba, Lagos.
Attached are my details:
Name: Felicia Ayoni Oyebola Atolagbe
Phone: 0803 716 4624
E Mail: ayoni_atolagbe@yahoo.com
Bank Account: ATOLAGBE FELICIA: GTBANK: 00 07 18 71 56
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